Teenage Girls, Prom Dresses and Nonexistant Musicals
by LatibuleFizzgig
Summary: Jaden and Risa return in a fabulous display of randomness! After returning from Narnia, the girls want to go back so Risa drags Jade into their friend's closet on the night of their senior prom and stumble into Narnia. Those poor Narnians...
1. Chapter 1

Risa: WE'RE BACK! IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I'VE TREAD THESE HOLLOWED HALLS!

Jade: And who's to blame for that?

Risa: Um...my boss? The all-mighty master of community college?

Jade: What about BEFORE that?

Risa: Youtube.

Jade: ...wow..._sigh_

Risa: ANYwho. We are back.

Jade: Redundancy much?

Risa: OH! Don't forget the leprechans that stole my flash drive.

Jade: You have leprechans? We have gremlins at my house.

Risa: It seems wonderful but they're annoying. They NEVER leave gold lying around.

Jade: Uh-huh...

Risa: So, this is our rendition of the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Hopefully you haven't forgotten my...er...our amazingness.

Jade: Get on with it!

Risa: Right, so enjoy the insaneness that results in us!

* * *

**Bare feet, Disgruntled brats, and Injured lampposts **

I hate dresses, and make up, and anything girly. Except cupcakes. I adore cupcakes. Me and cupcakes get along VERY well for the short time we've known each other.

Sorry, tangent.

ANYway, the prom doesn't really mix with me real well but I have friends who give me no choice. Because they LOVE me or something odd like that. Even saying this, my dress is amazing. By the grace of some higher power (you KNOW who I'm talking about) I managed to get it for free and it was just…wow. I hated the shoes though.

"If I sit still a moment longer, someone is going to die." I muttered, staring at the pizza that somehow still remained in the box longingly.

"You are not eating that. Grease and make-up equals doing it ALL over again."

"For a slice of heaven, I might do that." Delilah groaned and October promptly walked over and stole the last piece as Jaden and Delilah held me down.

"WE ARE NOT GOING TO TRY AND FIX YOU AGAIN!" October told me, "you're worse than a five year old."

"Make-up feels heavy."

Jaden raised her hand, "I kind of agree that make-up isn't necessary."

"But you have no say in this matter, Jade!" We all laughed and then I returned to pouting.

"Sit still."

"You're going to burn me."

"I will if you don't SIT STILL." The smell of hairspray was evident and I took it as a sign they were done torturing me. As soon as the spraying sound stopped, I jumped up and ran away.

"RISA!"

"Not until I see Aslan."

"Really, now?" October laughed and I ignored her, looking at Jaden with a pained expression.

Jaden nodded her understanding, a wistful (that's a fun word!) expression coming on her face. It was odd to think how much time had passed since we'd had our adventure on the Dawn Treader, nearly dying a bazillion times, and meeting the Great Lion Himself before we had to leave. Lucy and Edmund and Caspian were counted as some of my best friends and it was still questionable on whether we'd ever see them again. The real world and I mixed even worse than before. The flower I'd accidently brought back was sitting on Delilah's computer desk, it's gentle fragrance piercing the wall of hairspray.

I had gotten rather obsessed in saying that I wanted to go to Narnia again, to Jaden's dismay. The others took it off as a joke but Jaden knew I wasn't exactly happy in the real world anymore. Algebra could not compare to being taught to swordfight by a Mouse. EVER. It just wouldn't work.

"I'm going into your closet, Delly-chan, and am going to say hi to Aslan."

It also didn't help I was a bit high off of Monster, pizza, and hairspray. Not a good mix when you throw me into the mix. Everyone shook their heads as I sprinted up the stairs and burst into her room. I stood at the closet for a moment, wondering if it was such a good idea to actually do this. A small part of me actually hoped this would work, as it had for the first two months after we'd gotten back. I had walked into every closet, knowing that it could break the thin veil that rested between this world and Narnia.

I heard my friends behind me and I dispelled any sense of horror at that happening and grabbed Jade's wrist.

"I can't have a Narnia adventure without you!" And I dragged her into the closet.

She yelped as we plunged into it.

Then it was oddly silent. Del and October weren't jeering at me and yelling at me that my hair wasn't ready for going to Narnia.

"Risa, really? Aslan isn't in Delilah's closet." Jaden was still finding her feet and trying to wrench her wrist from my grasp. I was smelling the closet.

"Yes, he is, my darling." I started to giggled like the madwoman I was. She looked at me weird and then her eyes widened as she caught the smell of pine and winter.

I admit that I was crying. A lot. Out of happiness. That pure joy that comes from feeling at home. I pushed through Del's clothes and my feet were suddenly cold and wet and for once I couldn't find room to complain about the cold.

Jaden looked like a little kid, spinning around in the snow. Then we realized we were going to freeze to death at the exact same moment.

There was a pair of slippers, the boot kind, a sweatshirt, and a coat. I forced the slippers on Jaden as my feet are so full of calluses it's nasty and I could survive the cold.

"Then you get the coat. You have no insulation."

"Fine, fine. Let's just get out of here. This closet still smells like our world."

Jaden rolled her eyes and we headed off. We smacked each other with snow balls for who knows how long (until my hands were slightly numb) and then we set off.

It took five minutes for us to find tracks in the snow. We were feeling a bit touristy as we hadn't actually set foot on the mainland Narnia when we spotted them. Jade probably won't admit it but she let out an excited squeak when she saw them.

They were huge footprints of some sort of cat. A cat that couldn't really be called a cat.

"Aslan!" I screamed, starting after the footprints with my friend beside me. That was when she slapped her hand over my mouth.

"The trees!" She hissed, looking around like she could tell which one was which.

"Oh, blast it all!" A slight English lilt found its way into my voice as the Narnian air into my voice box. Jaden nearly threw me into the snow at the accent and I was sent into a fit of giggles as I ran after the footprints.

"YOU ARE NOT GOING TO START THAT CRAP AGAIN IT'S CONTAGOUS!"

"Too late!"

Then I tripped and barely caught myself on a tree…or it caught me unless I just started to hallucinate as well as simply being insane. Then we stopped, though I was waiting for an ambush from my dearly beloved Jaden. I haven't had a walk like that in years. My feet were indeed cold but I couldn't care. Though I wanted my lily with me, simply breathing in Narnia was enough for me.

Then the footprints stopped and I started panicking a teensy bit. If I know a forest, I can find my way anywhere, but this is NARNIA and I hadn't exactly been paying any attention, like at all.

"H-ello there." Said a slightly terrified voice.

"So THAT's what book we're in." I mused as a faun suddenly appeared from the trees. Jaden shoved me into a tree, effectively shutting me up.

"E-excuse me?"

"She's delusional, don't pay her any mind."

"Okay…" He looked like he was either ready to run away or smack me with the umbrella he was holding like an awkward sword.

"So how are you this fine day, dear faun?"

"W-well, I suppose I'm f-fine."

"But this is Narnia, isn't it? You can't be any less than fantastic here!"

"Risa, don't include him in you delusions. It isn't polite."

"I deny you."

"Actually, there isn't much reason for it to be fantastic nowadays." His eyes were downcast as he spoke and he suddenly looked nervous to be in the trees.

"Why's that? You'd think the footprints wou—"

Jade must be a professional at shutting me up because she jabbed the exact place that always makes me squeak so I couldn't finish my sentence. It was too late though and the faun looked curious.

"Footprints?"

"Yeah, right…" I trailed off as I looked for the footprints that weren't there any longer. Just my barefooted ones and Jade's booted ones. No giant lion footprints leading us to getting lost in the forest. (which was pleasant, though!)

"No matter," Jaden said, dragging me towards the faun to keep me from wailing my despair that there weren't any footprints, even though it was obviously necessary that they weren't there anymore. She'd probably had seen it before me because I get distracted easily. I mean really easily. It's absolutely ridiculous how easily I get distracted. Squirrels, shiny objects, mice, that random spot on the wall that nobody knows where it came from, a train, red vines, books, that random spot on the floor that's colder than the rest of it, a plant, a—

"Stop thinking in a tangent."

"How the heck did you know?"

"You get a weird look in your eye when you're thinking about things nobody cares about."

The faun started backing away as we started towards him. I frowned.

"Am I really that scary, Jaden? I know I scare people but—"

"Are you a Daughter of Eve?"

"Who are we talking about now?"

He pointed at me and I nodded enthusiastically. Jaden frowned, her grip on me loosening for long enough for me to pull my arm out of it.

"What about me?"

"I am wondering what a dwarf is doing with a Daughter of Eve." He sounded a little bit frightened, as well he should, calling Jaden a dwarf like that. The last person is still in the hospital.

"I am also a Daughter of Eve," she growled, and he took a small step backwards, ready to run if she should charge.

"She's vertically challenged, don't pay her any mind."

"And I admit I'm a bit touchy about it." So I got punched, just then. I gave her a look of disbelief and nearly tackled her.

"You must—"

"Yeah, yeah, some of the trees are on her side. Let's go to your cave, my feet are cold."

"RISA!"

"You're friend is correct."

"HERE THAT JADE, I'M CORRECT!" I grinned at the faun, who was still deciding whether or not to run. "By the way, I'm Clarissa Starr and this is Jade Yellow."

Suddenly Jaden spasmed and I ended up in the snow. I mean that's the ONLY explanation. It isn't like she would actually push me in or anything.

"My name is Jaden Greene. This one may be dead."

"That isn't a pretty name. I don't think Mummy liked me very much."

"I refuse to do it."

"She was a demon." I whispered, trying not to laugh.

"I…I'm Tumnus." Tumnus stuttered, his umbrella trembling, the snow fall

"Is this Pre-Lucy or Post-Lucy?"

"What?"

Jaden pulled me away, trying to get me to stop talking, like normal.

"Have you met a smaller Daughter of Eve at all? Her name is Lucy?"

"Yes! How is she? Did she make it to War Drobe in Spare Oom?" I nearly bust out laughing but Jaden stepped on my foot, forgetting I was without shoes. I sucked in a breath but refused to scream. That would come later when we weren't in front of a skittish Faun.

"She made it back fine, Mr. Tumnus." Jade assured him.

He invited us back to his home and I nodded eagerly, jumping from one foot to the other as the cold had finally made it to my brain. And getting stepped on HURT. THAT'S RIGHT JADE, IT HURT. JERK.

No, actually, I adore her. A lot.

The trek wasn't exactly exciting. Tumnus flinched at every bird call and generally didn't seem to like being outside. It seemed to take forever but we made it to the cave. After he took our coats, he invited us to come in from the entrance way. Jaden was inspecting it, marveling in every detail and I almost did the same but...I got distracted...again. I wandered to the fire and warmed my limbs, that were aching a bit now. My feet barely had any feeling and a burning sensation rushed to me. My Narnia high was over. Suddenly something hit me. I went over to Jaden and Tumnus, who were discussing something that was probably important but I didn't want to lose this question so I interrupted.

"Hey, Tumnus...er...Mr. Tumnus, why did you come out? You looked really nervous since Lucy came."

Tumnus frowned, then looked thoughtful as he started fixing something I could only assume was tea. Jaden looked a bit surprised at the question but I ignored her, trying not to look at the fire so I didn't get lost in it. That was a problem I had while camping.

"I...I don't know. I seemed like someone or something was calling but it felt as if it was inside my head? It was a warm feeling, and I couldn't resist." He started to poor the tea, "I'm sorry, that doesn't seem to make a lot of sense, does it?"

I nodded, understanding the odd explanation. I gave Jade a look and she nodded. This wasn't an accident.

"Continue with your story, Mr. Tumnus, please." She said, sitting down as he offered her a seat. For some reason I couldn't get an edge out of my head so I simply stood behind her, teacup in my hand. I'd never actually drank tea before so I hoped it tasted good.

He started again but some odd sound kept distracting me (there we go again with the distractions. There aren't even any squirrels. I suppose the books would normally distract me but this sound seemed much more interesting, which is odd in itself because I adore books in all their forms...except for one about fairies pretending to be vampires...I flew out of that stage very fast).

"Do you guys hear that?"

"I just hear an odd buzzing." Jaden held one hand over an ear, trying to rid herself of whatever it was.

"No its like-there it is again!"

"Again, delusional."

I ignored her (something I was getting very good at) and listened. My eyes widened as I finally realized what it was. My hands suddenly felt weak and I dropped the teacup, gasping as it shattered.

"I'm sorry but..." My voice barely had any sound, it was weirdly breathy and I barely ever talk like that. Since I came out of my shell, I've become a very loud person.

"It's perfectly fine! Be careful where you step, there's sharp edges."

"We have to go." I felt like I was in a trance and I didn't bother with the coat as I sprinted out.

"Risa!" Ali's voice was distant as I flew through the trees. I don't ever remembering running that fast. Only one being could make the sound that I heard. It was a roar calling my name.

"ASLAN!" I screamed, tripping again. Where was Jade? She wouldn't get lost like this. I couldn't hear him anymore. I was looking around...while running. I swear I was just asking for trouble.

Then a different material struck my hand and I cried out in pain, grabbing my hand. I felt like cussing but I bit my lip and looked at what I had managed to run into.

A lamppost.

Still holding my hands, I stared for a long while, then remembered the trees. I kept going, hoping against hope that I would find the wardrobe.

I did. And I fell.

Just as four children burst into the room. They looked shocked as I picked myself up. I threw my index finger to my lips and smiled. They were so young. Peter had to only be thirteen and the others were even younger.

Then the handle started turning.

"Quick, the wardrobe!" He looked at me desperately and I nodded. We had a small moment where we understood each other and they shot towards the wardrobe. "There's nowhere else!"

I followed them, suddenly remembering I was in a prom dress.

_This isn't going to work out very well…_

"I wish the MaCready would hurry up and take all these people away," Susan said in a loud whisper, "I'm getting horribly cramped."

"And what a filthy smell of camphor." Edmund said, and I saw his nose wrinkle in the small light the slightly open door let me see. His face wasn't just younger than when we were on the Dawn Treader, it was completely out of character for what I knew him.

"I expect the pockets of these coats are full of it to keep away moths." Susan was already too sensible to hold my attention for very long and I yawned, smoothing my dress over my knees, which were almost up to my knees in an altogether uncomfortable manner. I decided to blame Jaden, because she wasn't here to stop me from doing so.

"There's something sticking to my back," Peter said, making a soft noise as he shifted his weight against the pine needles that he didn't know existed.

"And isn't it cold?"

"Snow is usually cold," I said, and Lucy gave me an odd look from across the terribly small wardrobe. This brought all of the children's (jeez,they were younger than I thought. Peter couldn't be older than thirteen.) attention to me, as if they had just remembered that I'd been in the wardrobe in the first place.

"Who are—"

"Can't we find out her life story after we get out? They've gone." Edumund interrupted Peter and I could tell they were about to start arguing when Susan cried out.

"What is it Susan?" Peter.

"What's the matter, Su?" Lucy.

"What's all that about." Edmund.

"You aren't very good at hiding. Too loud." Me.

"I'm sitting against a tree and look! It's getting light—over there."

I giggled and looked at our dear Eddy-kins. He looked a bit paler than before as Peter started stating the obvious about 'Lucy's wood'. I stood with them and grinned at the trees, hoping against hope they weren't on _her_ side. It was all very odd, being taller than the future High King of Narnia. My eyes widened as I realized _I_ would have to be the _mature_ one until we got together with Jaden again, which would be soon, so it couldn't be _too _hard.

Peter apologized to Lucy and Lucy pulled a Lucy and forgave him right away. Then they realized that it was probably below freezing.

They looked at me as I took my own coat, always looking at them with a weird expression.

"By jove, I just remembered you. I'm Peter Pevensie and these are my younger siblings, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy."

"I know...er…I was in the house too. I was…er…thinking in the wardrobe when you came in."

"That's odd, I've never seen you before." Susan said, all too suspicious for a twelve year old, if I do say so.

"And I haven't seen you, just heard of you." Oddly, all of this was the truth. I was _in_ the wardrobe, thinking (and running), and I hadn't ever seen her before. "I'm Clairissa Starr. Please call me Risa."

"Your feet!" Lucy cried, pointing. My feet suddenly grew cold once more and I sighed. Not thinking about it had worked up until now.

"Oh dear!" Susan suddenly turned motherly.

"They might be a bit small but you can have my shoes for a while—we can trade." Peter was too chivalrous for his age. I shook my head and looked around. I had to be mature, not him. _Crap, I'm not used to this. Aslan?_

As if in answer, my eyes turned downward and I saw two shoes. I hesitated as I bent down, my love for my bare feet almost overpowering the sense of cold that nearly killed me. Then I sat on the wood of the wardrobe and slipped them on. To my surprise, I barely felt them on my feet but they kept away the cold. Grinning, I recognized the work of love and silently thanked the still unseen lion.

"Where did those come from?" Susan wondered aloud. I tried to tell her, but found I couldn't open my mouth, and shook my head, something keeping me from screaming. It felt like a hand was placed over my mouth. _How does that girl do that?_

Then we started off, and I decided to listen to Lucy. _We can pretend we are Artctic explorers. _

"I say, oughtn't we be bearing bit more to the left, that is, if we are aiming at the lamp-post?" I stared with everyone else, trying not to burst out laughing at Edmund's stricken face as he realized he'd screwed up. Peter started on him and I almost stopped him, knowing Edmund was still a kid now that I saw how incredibly short he was.

"Well, of all the poisonous little beasts—" I put my hand on his shoulder and he shrugged it off. They started off and I was the only one who heard Edmund.

"I'll pay you all out for this, you pack of stuck-up, self satisfied prigs."

It was at that point that I came up with a masterful plan. They didn't have to hate each other! Edmund could just hate me instead! Operation Annoy Eddy-kins commence!

"Eddy-kins, what did you do last time you were here?"

"What did you just call me?" He asked, glaring furiously. I have to say it was a bit adorable coming from a ten year old. Lucy and the others tried their best not to laugh.

"Eddy-kins!"

"Says the one in the ridiculous outfit!"

"Edmund! She was just playing," Susan said, turning read and giving me an apologetic look. I shrugged, agreeing with him but not willing to say it until he behaved himself!

"It's the truth!"

"Ed!" Peter said, giving his younger brother a _look_.

"Where _are_ we going anyway?" Susan broke it up by changing the subject, but I could still feel the glares of Edmund upon me as I skipped up to Lucy when it was proposed she lead.

"Yes, now don't fall behind, Eddy-kins!"

I admit to singing the song the dwarfs in Snow White sing. It was hard not to. Lucy caught on quickly and started singing with me. I really do adore that girl.

Then I caught sight of the cave before everyone else and a flood of the real plot line nearly toppled me over. Then Lucy noticed the door, ripped from its hinges, and let out a cry as she sprinted towards it. Peter and I were on her heels, with Susan close behind and Edmund sulking even further behind.

"Jaden?" I called, hoping to hear her weakened call from among that horrible wreckage we walked into. It smelled odd, like a place no one ever entered even though you could see evidence of life: broken tea cups, ripped books, a barely recognizable heap that had to be a chair. I even saw a broken flute. "Jade!"


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Alright, and we continue on! Thank you to the one reviewer who graced us with their presence.

Risa: You thanking _them_?

Jaden: Yeah, it's a review. I thank people for their reviews. It's like Christmas presents every few days.

Risa: But they said I suck.

Jaden: Just for leaving the story with a cliffhanger.

Risa: The one that _you_ told me to put there.

Jaden: Ok, I'll take the blame. I suck for having Risa leave off with a cliffhanger. I'm a sucker for plot twists and loose endings. :D

Risa: Mmm… plot twists. What do they taste like?

Me: **sigh** Like Red Vines.

Risa: RED VINES! Yum! I Want SOME!

Me: Of course you do. But after the story.

Risa: Awww—that could be forever!

Me: And who's fault is that?

Risa: I thought we already discussed this. It's the leprechauns' fault.

Me: **facepalm** Anyway, before we get underway I'd like to make a few things clear that we conveniently forgot to say in the last chapter.

Risa: Conveniently? Just tell em we forgot, Jade.

Me: It's Jaden. There is an N tacked on the end.

Risa: Wow, a tongue twister. An N on the End!

Me: Yeah. So as I was saying, we have decided to stay pretty close to the books. We like the movies of course, but the books came first.

Risa: GO JACK!

Me: And so the Tumnus in our story is the Tumnus that C.S. Lewis came up with. He doesn't look totally like James McAvoy. His skin is redder and he has a longer tail. So if you haven't read the books and you are reading this, I suggest you read the books to prevent any confusion with details.

Risa: And if you haven't read the book, Read it Anyway! :D

Me: And now Chapter two of the second installment of Teenage Girls…

Risa: Rolling!

* * *

**Chapter 2**

**Overlap, Crap, Buzzing, Crap, Wolves, and CRAP!**

After he took our coats, he invited us to come in from the entrance way. In a word, it looked amazing. It kind of had that old time house feeling, full of heirlooms and knickknacks. It was warm and smelled like pine and tea. Almost every space on the walls were covered either with pictures or curtains or something of that nature.

The book case stood where I remembered it from the movie, containing weird titles like:

The kitchen was on a higher level while the sitting room sank down. Next to the fire were comfortable looking, plush chairs and a table with books, strewn papers, and a framed portrait. _Tumnus' father._

Risa went over to the fire and started staring at it. Thinking she would be fine, I went over to Mr. Tumnus who was making the tea.

"Mr. Tumnus?"

"Yes?"

"How long has it been since you last saw Lucy?"

He stopped and looked thoughtful, tugging on his beard. "If memory recalls correctly, it has been three days since her last visit. She left during the day so I am very relieved she wasn't caught."

I smiled. "She's fine. But that was her second visit, right?" I asked, trying to get a pinpoint on where exactly we were in the book.

"Yes." Now this poses a problem. If that was Lucy's second visit, it meant that Edmund had already ratted Tumnus out. That meant that the witch would be sending in her wolves sometime soon. Where were we supposed to go when they came?

Suddenly Risa came over, ending our conversation. "Hey, Tumnus...er...Mr. Tumnus, why did you come out? You looked really nervous since Lucy came."

Tumnus frowned, then looked thoughtful as he continued fixing the "tea". To be frank, I was a bit surprised at the question, but Risa ignored my expression.

"I...I don't know. I seemed like someone or something was calling but it felt as if it was inside my head? It was a warm feeling, and I couldn't resist." He started to poor the tea, "I'm sorry, that doesn't seem to make a lot of sense, does it?"

Risa nodded and gave me an understanding look, to which I acknowledged with a nod as well. (We never use the word acknowledge anymore, really. Why not?)

"Continue with your story, Mr. Tumnus, please." I said, sitting down as he offered a seat. Risa continued to stand behind me. I ignored the impulse to giver her a look because her feet must be freezing and she still remained standing. Ugh…

"Well I was busy reading one of my favorites by a very profound author when—" After that I couldn't hear anything. There was this loud buzzing in my ears, like dim static. What the heck?

"Do you guys hear that?" Risa interrupted loudly.

Holding one hand over my ear I answered dryly, "Just an odd buzzing." The buzzing started to die down to a low hum and then it faded away. Sighing, my hand dropped to my lap.

"No, it's like—there it is again!"

"Again, delusional," I smirked. Ok, it was a bad blow especially because I was hearing weird sounds in my head too. **Sigh** I'll have to apologize for being so irritable later.

Suddenly Risa dropped her tea cup and it exploded into bits on the stone floor. Jumping up from the spray of sharp pieces, I shot her a glare. She looked down at it with wide eyes.

"I'm sorry…" she apologized in a breathy tone. She never spoke that way, at least never when I'm around her. Something wasn't right…

Tumnus looked disappointed that his china was broken, but he seemed to shrug it off. "It's perfectly fine. Be careful where you step, there's sharp edges."

What came next was extremely weird, even for Risa. Before I could speak, she was already looking a bit… frantic? Excited? Eccentric?

"We have to go," she said softly before sprinting out of the house.

Caught by surprise, all I could do was call out, hoping that she would come back. "RISA!"

I'm short, I admit it, and Risa is ten times faster than I am. There was no way in heaven or on earth that I could keep up. I ran out the door, but the footprints only went so far before disappearing. Thanks a lot stupid snow drifts!

"RISA!" My voice echoed and died in a wind. Crap, not only was she going to get lost but now she probably can't hear anything outside of a 5 foot radius.

"RISA—" Tumnus rushed over and covered my mouth.

"Ssh," he hissed.

I tugged his hand off and glared at him. "Are you kidding me? She just ran off and you want me to be quiet? I need to get my coat."

"_Her _spies will hear you," he whispered, his voice terrified.

"I don't care!"

"But—"

But it was too late. I ran back into the house and grabbed my coat. Tumnus followed and closed the door.

"How do you plan on finding her?" he asked.

"I don't know. She's barefoot in the snow and doesn't know the place. We've only been on the water the last time we came here." I was about to start balling. I tend to freak out when I lose someone. My brother once got lost in a store and I was sobbing by the time I found him.

"What? You've been here before?" he asked.

I ignored him and handed him his red scarf. "C'mon, we've got to go get her." I stomped towards the door and flung it open, thinking of possible ways to murder her, when the worst possible thing stood in front of me.

I turned white and my mouth was dry as the ferocious beast looked up at me with cruel eyes, his counterparts raised their hackles. It was a pack of wolves, and when he spoke I realized that they were _her_ wolves. So much for my question on where we were going to go when they came. Turns out I was going to stay right there. (Note the irritable sarcasm)

"Well, well, well… what do we have here?" the head wolf asked.

This was one of those moments that I have dubbed a "Crap moment."

It's when you realize you have forgotten your homework and it is due in two seconds. It's the time where you've been caught doing something stupid and you know you'll be grounded for a month. It's that moment when you are face to face with monstrous wolves and they are slowly backing you into a corner and all you can think is crap. Crap! CRAP!

"You look a little tall to be a dwarf," he stated slyly. CRAP!

"I-I am… uh a tall… dwarf?"

If a wolf could raise his eyebrow, I think he did. I laughed nervously and raised my hands.

"Um… you got me?" Out of all the witty lines I've heard from movies… out of all the smart alec retorts I could have said, I had to say "you got me."

"Search the place," he ordered, immediately sending wolves in to tear the place apart. The china spilled over and crashed on the floor, books were sent flying, the door was ripped off its hinges, and poor Mr. Tumnus was grabbed by the end of his muffler.

Forgetting my place I ran over kicked the huge, wild dog with my slipper covered feet. "Leave him alone!"

The wolf was warm and squishy where I kicked it, but it wasn't phased and the impact sent pain up my foot. It turned on me and pinned me to the floor, its claws just barely scraping my skin; Claws that could have ended me with one swipe. CRAP!

Another came and pinned Mr. Tumnus, clamping its jaws around his goat leg. He cried out in pain, but was still able to keep a rather brave face.

"Is this the only daughter of eve?" the head wolf asked. Later I remembered his name was Maugrim, but details really weren't all that important in the moment.

"Y-yes," Mr. Tumnus replied. Now here is where my mind did grasp a detail. If Mr. Tumnus said that _I_ was the daughter of Eve then that would mean that they think I'm Edmund's sister. But in the book, Edmund described his family to the witch and I had no clue whether the beasts knew it or not.

I was messing up the book plot. ME! After all the times I worked to keep Risa from messing with the plot, I make a confusing change. Then the pain from the wolf's claws slightly digging deeper into my skin kind of knocked me out of my cannon purist thought process.

"Take them," he commanded, walking over to a post and using his front paws to stick a parchment letter it. It was the arrest warrant. CrAP!

"Faun Tumnus, you are hereby under arrest and charged with high treason to her Imperial Majesty Jadis, Queen of Narnia, Chatelaine of Cair Paravel, Empress of the Lone Islands, etc. For comforting her said majesties' enemies, harboring spies, and fraternizing with Humans. Long live the Queen!" As Maugrim spoke the charges, I was let up off the ground and pushed outside the door with unimaginable strength. Tumnus, on the other hand, was dragged effortlessly by his legs.

A side note that didn't occur to me: These are Talking Wolves. Three times the size of a regular wolf, ten times smarter and even more deadly. … … … CRAP!

The boot shaped slippers that covered my feet now felt terribly wet and cold. The snow wasn't a dry powder but more of a wet slush as we marched. I was so used to them being warm in Tumnus' house. **sigh**

_I wonder what Risa is up to_, I thought, trying to keep my mind off of the giant animals and the poor faun being dragged painfully to his… I'm NOT supposed to be thinking about THAT!

Suddenly, and for no apparent reason at all, my eye started to twitch. Please understand that I NEVER twitch. Not even on purpose. But my eye started to twitch uncontrollably and for some reason I had a feeling that Risa was doing something stupid.

What on… no… NO! My eye can't possibly twitch every time Risa does something stupid! It will be non-stop! Aslan what are you doing? This didn't happen the last time we were here…

There was a distant roar which sent a shudder down my spine and stopped the twitching. That or Risa stopped doing whatever she was doing. The wolves didn't hear it and I sighed, trying to calm down. I wasn't in charge here and there was some reason for this.

… I just didn't know what.


	3. Chapter 3

Jade: I can't believe you did this.

Me: Well, it makes sense.

Jade: It's so serious!

Me: You got taken by the witch, I'm angry. I get serious when I'm angry.

Jade: You couldn't add angry-humor in it?

Me: Wow, Jade, YOU made up a dash-word? It's usually me that does that!

Jade: Shut it.

Me: Don't worry, this is the only chapter where I"m THIS angry.

Jade: Well...

Me: SEE YOU'RE WEAKENING!

Jade: I am not!

Me: Are to!"

Jade: We are NOT starting this.

Me: Awwwwwww...

Jade: Just remember this is your fault...it's so late! You were supposed to have it on three weeks ago. You even had it finished!

Me: The internet is...distracting.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**Angry Beyond Control, Tainted, and Eating Fish.**

"JADE!" I screamed, several times, I might add. Edmund gave me a weird look but Lucy was too distraught and Peter and Susan picked their favorite and chose to comfort her instead. I ran through the cave, turning over broken furniture and kicking books around, hoping she'd be hiding underneath ready to scare me to death before I murdered her.

The children were talking about something or another, probably about Tumnus (which, now that I think it over, was actually staying on topic) whom I didn't care about at that moment in time. Peter came over just about then and gently grabbed my arm. I nearly pulled a Jackie Chan and threw him to the ground. Nearly. Not quite.

"Risa, we found something."

I don't remember walking outside but apparently I did because the next thing I remembered was kicking the snow, aiming for wherever Jaden was. Peter read a paper and I was going to comment on how we shouldn't be reading useless things when my friend was waiting to die by my hand. Then he said something about a queen living long.

I whirled around, my eyes wide. "Queen?

"She isn't a real queen at all, she's a horrible witch, the White Witch…" I tuned her out, or rather my steaming anger did. For a moment, I didn't think. (Okay, this happens a lot, but bear with me here.) The kids were still talking and some part of my brain heard them.

"You guys find Tumnus, I'm going to find Jade."

"Risa—" Peter started, but was cut off by Lucy.

"Look! There's a robin, with such a red breast!" I was going to cut in there, saying that we should follow it, but it felt like my jaw was locked shut. I scowled, waiting for the kids to stop talking.

Lucy and Susan agreed on following it and Peter agreed.

"JUST FOLLOW THE ROBIN" I said angrily, storming off after it. For a second, it looked at me fearfully but that was the moment that I started crying. I rarely cry, mostly out of anger. I suppose this was a mixture of extreme worry and anger because I knew Jaden didn't just abandon me. I furiously stopped the tears, glaring the robin into moving.

The witch had her.

"I can't believe she went with that witch. Why didn't she fight? Why is she with that…" I trailed off just to start again. "She'd want to see Aslan, right? And Edmund…even though he's a bit like his old self. Okay, he is his old self. But why would Jade go with her? So what they have similar names? Why isn't she here, shutting this pointless mutter-rant to myself? That's her job. I don't do mature very well. Why is she with the witch?"

"Risa?" Susan broke in, and I almost made a comment I would make to Jaden but the rational thought wasn't hers. "Did she betray you…us?"

"I'm going to kill her the moment I see her."

The children looked shocked at the violence. Lucy's frightened eyes told me that they totally believed I was actually capable of killing someone. Maybe I was, in that state of mind. I guess we won't know until the first time I see the witch.

Then I realized we'd stopped to talk and stormed off again.

To tell you the truth, I didn't notice when the robin flew away. I nearly went off without everyone but the girls' "Oh" stopped me. I nearly ran after it, knowing it was probably going to Aslan, who could fix everything and make it okay.

It was Lucy's eager hands on my coat and the half-frightened voices as something moved in the trees. I got a bit uncomfortable again and sighed angrily.

"Just come out of the trees before I drag you out. We need to move as quickly as possible."

"Whatever it is, it's dodging us. It's something that doesn't want be seen."

"Let's go home." Susan said, obviously terrified.

"Nope." I stormed into the forest, after what I suddenly remembered was the Beaver. It shrunk before me, but it didn't immediately draw back. I was about to demand answers but it signaled us to shut up. We followed it, because we've already been following animals blindly. IT COMPLETELY MAKES SENSE!

"Come on, we ought to be a match for one beaver if it turns out to be an enemy." Peter said as the children closed ranks as I stormed ahead, reminding myself of Reep.

The Beaver started away, "Further in, come further in. Right in here. We're not safe in the open!"

I rolled my eyes, then forgot I had nothing to defend myself with except the little bit of hand-to-hand combat Ed had taught us in the future…er…wow…

We ended up in a dark corner of four trees and the earth could be seen beneath the snow.

"Are you the Sons of Adam and the Daughters of Eve?" Then I think he counted us because he looked confused.

"We're some of them."

"I'm not who you're talking about. They are. I'm a…er…Warrior Maiden of Narnia." I didn't say it with my usual flair, still stuck in my angry rut.

"Shhh, not so loud please. We're not safe even here."

"Who are you afraid of? There's no one here but ourselves." Peter said, and I looked up at the trees, daring them to be on _her_ side.

"There are the trees. They're always listening. Most of them are on our side but there are trees that would betray us to _her_; you know who I mean." He looked like a bobble head, nodding like he did after he said it.

"If it comes to talking about sides, how do we know you're a friend?" Edumund pointed out. I willed them to talk faster.

Peter continued, "Not meaning to be rude, Mr. Beaver, but you see, we're strangers."

"Not me…" I said, and the Beaver looked at me, actually realizing what I'd said before he'd shushed me. He was admiring me, which was a bit awkward as he was a Beaver and it would really never work out…and I don't get involved with married men. (okay that was bad)

"You're—"

"Later, Mr. Beaver. Explain everything to them."

"Quite right, quite right. Here is my token." Beaver handed over a handkerchief.

"Oh, of course. It's my handkerchief—the one I gave to poor Mr. Tumnus."

"That's right, poor fellow. He got wind of his arrest before it actually happened and handed this over to me. He said that if anything happened to him. I must meet you here and take you on to—"

"And he took us in? When he knew he was going to be arrested?" I was a bit angry. "My friend is with that witch! I—"

"They say Aslan is on the move."

If anything can shut me up, it's either Jade slamming her hand over my mouth or something to do with Aslan.

"Perhaps has already landed," he continued.

I looked behind me, then looked at the kids, knowing this was the first they knew of Aslan. Edmund had the most interesting look of terror I've seen. Even Eustace's (when he realized that the crew was bonkers) couldn't have compared. Peter started to look like a king. Not quite a high king, or even a Narnian king, but a king. Susan looked like she was in bliss and Lucy looked like…Lucy. You know, that Lucy you see when she see dancing trees or an glowing albatross. Or something.

I felt…relieved. But not enough to stop from feeling like all of this 'feeling' was a waste of time. The feeling was great, but I was also feeling like Jade was feeling a bit…lousy? Worse than lousy, most likely. And Aslan was great but…wasn't this taking too long? I just want to save her. Then they got out of their trance.

"And what about Mr. Tumnus, where is he?" Lucy asked, trying to hold on to that feeling (ugh, that word) but her guilt was infecting it, I think.

"Shh," Beaver said, "Not here. I must bring you where we can have a real talk and also dinner."

"You have fun with that. I'm going to go storm the Witch's castle." My stomach growled and if it hadn't been for Beaver flying at me to shut me up about trying to get the witch, I wouldn't have ignored all the odd, childish grins on their faces.

"SSSHHHHH!"

Everyone had perked up at dinner except for me. Dinner took time. A lot of time. I bet Jade wasn't getting dinner. I can go without eating. I've done it before. I forgot my lunch once at band camp.

Now, I would probably like Mr. Beaver well enough if one of my besties hadn't been kidnapped, but Beavers are slow on dry…er…snowy land. I wanted to pick him up, run to his dam, eat a Pop Tart, and leave. We could even skip the Pop Tart part of my plan, but something had suddenly occurred to me.

Aslan was here. He'd led us to Tumnus, then led me away.

He'd led me away.

I could be at the witch's castle, cracking jokes at her and getting turned into stone or beaten. Heck, we could sing songs like Paul and them. Pissing her off if nothing else. And I hadn't the chance. And Jade was probably in pain or something worse.

He could have stopped this.

My footprints were a bit deeper than usual as I was stomping. The other kids weren't talking to me. They somehow sensed if they tried their heads would be taken off. Beaver somehow knew something about Warrior Maidens. We were not to be trifled with.

We were standing, looking at the frozen river. I didn't stay for very long, raging down the hill. In order to stay standing up, I used the skills that I'd learned from being on a ship for who knows how long. To keep up my Warrior-ness, of course. And anger. It's hard to remain angry when falling down a snowy hill. It's too fun.

It took a while, but they followed to the dam. When I reached the door, I turned around and saw something odd. Edmund had been a brat up until now, but now he looked…tainted. Like a painting caught in some mud. It didn't look…right. Not when I'd seen him after being a king and messing around with me.

"Here we are," Beaver said, brushing past me, "And it looks as if Mrs. Beaver is expecting us. I'll lead the way. But be careful and don't slip."

I didn't pay attention to him, as Edmund's look had shocked me. The children ran inside and I followed them slowly.

"Here we are, Mrs. Beaver. I found them. Here are the Sons and Daughters of Adam and Eve."

"There are five here, Mr. Beaver." Mrs. Beaver said, trying to figure out who was in the prophecy.

"The eldest there is a Warrior Maiden of Narnia!" He whispered excitedly. "Don't worry about her. It seems they're rather…serious." They both eyed me and I sighed. I looked at the sewing machine and wondered if I could use needles as weapons when I stab the witch in the eyes. Something about the statement did throw me off, though.

"So you've come at last! At last! To think that ever I should live to see this day! Potatoes are on boiling and the kettles singing and I dare say Mr. Beaver, Mr. Beaver, you'll get us some fish."

If I hadn't been on a ship for months I would have cringed at the thought of fish, but it was an acquired taste.

"That I will!" With those words from Mr. Beaver, he and Peter went out to bond over fishing as men seemed to.

Meanwhile, the girls were helping and even I got dragged into all of it because I have a large family and we all have to help with dinner when we actually try to make a nice dinner and, heaven forbid, eat together. Then the frying pan started to hiss and I smelled fish as Mr. Beaver came in with Peter. Uncooked fish smells disgusting, but it was a bit better as Mrs. Beaver worked her magic on them. I admit that I was a bit starving by that point. My stomach was proving it, much to the pleasure of the children and the amusement of Mrs. Beaver.

"Now, we're nearly ready." Susan mashed the potatoes, which I think was way funner than what I got to do. Sit there. Even Lucy helped. It isn't MY fault I suck at cooking. I looked at Edmund, still a bit startled by that look I'd seen him wearing. He glared at me.

We then went to the table. I said a small prayer after Mrs. Beaver brought milk and butter to the table. The fish was good, for fish. Then she brought out something that tasted REALLY good and I finally got to drink tea. It was very Narnian.

"And now, if you'll just wait until I've got my pipe lit—"

_Smoking's bad for you._ I almost said it, but it didn't feel right with the anger still boiling within me.

"It's snowing again. That's all the better because it means we shan't have any visitors; and if anyone should have been trying to follow you, why he won't find any tracks." I clenched my fist beneath the table, not willing to let my impatience spill onto the generally warm atmosphere.

"Now, do please tell us what's happened to Mr. Tumnus." Lucy said, anxiousness touching her voice like a that first breeze signifying winter was coming and that shorts were going to become impossible. I stared at an inanimate object in attempt to stop myself from running out the door. It seemed to be working for the time being. We would have to see about later.

"Ah, that's bad. That's very, very bad business." The Beaver shook his head, "There's no doubt he was taken by the police. I got that from a bird who saw it done."

_He saw what happened to Jade? I have to find this bird._

"But where's he been taken to?" Lucy asked. I heard the tremble of fear and a small part of my anger dripped away as compassion fought it's way through.

"Well, they were heading northward when they were last seen and we all know what that means."

"Tumnus was taken to the Witch's place. And Jaden was with them." My voice cut through Mr. Beaver's and he nodded. We caught each other's eyes for a moment and he seemed a mixture of saddened and relieved at the fire he must have seen there.

"What'll they do to him, then?" Lucy asked, her gaze turning from me to Mr. Beaver. I nodded, giving him lead. I was afraid of what I'd say, truthfully.

"Well, you can't exactly say for sure. But there's not many taken in there that ever comes out again. Statues. All full of statues they say it is—in the courtyard and up the stairs and in the hall. People she's turned...turned to stone." He shuddered, eyes closed.

That managed to catch a memory and I let myself fall into it. It wasn't the happiest of memories, but it was better than the present. The others continued talking as I remembered when Jade had been turned into gold. We hadn't remembered on the trip, but when we'd gotten back to earth we'd pieced it together. Once the sheer logic of what had happened came to us, we actually remembered what'd happened. It was odd, realizing you'd forgotten something so important. The magic of Aslan, I suppose.

"...Aslan is on the move— " The name Aslan could catch anyone's attention and I was surprised to feel myself taste something bitter. I wanted to spit it out, but I didn't try. I love Aslan dearly but some part of me was angry with him for letting Jaden get taken by the Witch.

"Oh, yes,! Tell us about Aslan!" Lucy was on the edge of her seat. Her face was set in pure joy.

"Who is Aslan?" Susan asked.

Mr. Beaver was positively glowing as he started talking about Aslan, "Aslan? Why, don't you know? He's the Lord of the whole wood, but not often here, you understand. Never in my time or my father's time. But word has reached us that he has come back. He is in Narnia at this moment. He'll settle the White Queen all right. It is he, not you, that will save Mr. Tumnus."

"She won't turn him into stone too?" Edumund asked. I nearly threw myself at him. Some part of my brain told me that he just didn't know, but I still didn't like him talking about Aslan like he was something common. Sure, I was angry at him, but I never doubted he was...well...Aslan.

"Lord love you , Son of Adam, what a simple thing to say!" Mr. Beaver laughed. His laughter was infectious and I couldn't help but smile. "Turn _him_ into stone? If she can stand on her two feet and look him in the face it'll bet he most she can do and more than I expect of her. No, no. He'll put all to rights as it says in an old rhyme in these parts.

I tried to concentrate on the poem, but couldn't managed as my foot had suddenly started to jam itself repeatedly into the floor beneath it. I simply couldn't control it. I got an odd look from Edmund but I ignored him.

"But shall we see him?" Susan asked, hope making her face glow.

"Why, Daughter of Eve, that's what I brought you here for. I'm to lead you where you shall meet him."

"Is...is he a man?" Lucy asked.

"Aslan, a man! Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the Emperor-beyond-the-Sea. Don't you know who is the King of Beasts? Aslan is a lion—_the_ Lion, the great Lion."

"Ooh, I'd thought he was a man. Is he—quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion." Susan said. I smirked at this, remembering burying my face into—no, Risa, you're mad at him, remember?

"That you will, dearie, and no mistake. If there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly." _Or they know him personally..._

"Then he isn't safe?" Lucy looked to her older siblings.

"Safe?" Beaver looked flustered.

"Lucy, he isn't _safe_ exactly, but he's good. Incredibly good. He's the King." I said the words softly, my fingers trying to decide whether or not to be mad.

"I'm longing to see him," Peter said, "even if I do feel frightened when it comes to the point."

"That's right, Son of Adam. And so you shall. Word has been sent that you _are_ to meet him, tomorrow if you can, at the Stone Table."

I took in a quick breath, but no one seemed to notice. A lot of my anger turned into an aching pain. The stone table. I didn't want to see it.

I'd drifted off again, remembering the book when I heard the prophecy being spoken. I payed close attention to the lineage of the Witch, wrinkling my nose when they spoke of Lillith. I'd heard of her, of course, but I didn't really _get _it.

They continued to speak and I winced as my foot slammed into the hard floor again and again. It had stopped for a few minutes but it had started again. It was so confusing. _Must be a nervous twitch...one that lasts a very long time. I don't remember it being this stressful on the Dawn Treader._

"Wait, you said two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve." Susan pointed out and I realized how much of the conversation I'd missed. "There's four Daughter's of...er...girls here."

"According to Clairissa, she is a Warrior Maiden of Narnia. Aslan must have sent her to assist you."

"But her— "

"I say—where's Edmund?" Lucy suddenly pointed out. Fear encased me and I was out only after Peter. I searched through the snow, not bothering to scream. _Which way is the Witch's place? I can follow Eddy-kins and rescue Jade._

I walked a way off from them, staring north. I couldn't tell you how I knew it was north but I sensed...evil. Like how a sickroom smells of sickness. Staring at the falling snow, knowing somehow I could find that castle was eating me alive.

Then Mr. Beaver came hustling towards me, "Warrior Clairissa, we must hurry. We've been betrayed."

"You go with the future royals. I"ll go after Edmund and try and rescue Tumnus and—"

"I'm afraid we might need you. The Witch is coming after the other three. We must get to Aslan. Before we get cut off from him."

I whipped my face around at him, my eyes round in horror. That was the worst possibility I'd heard all night. "And my friend? She's with the Witch."

"Aslan can save her." Beaver said, "But we must _hurry_."

I closed my eyes and followed him, hoping Jaden would forgive me. The odd thing was that I kept stubbing my toes for a while, then stopped suddenly. How curious.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Two reviews… seriously people? What happened to our amazing fans from the last story?

Risa: They all fell off a naughty cliff!

Me: What's with the Tim Hawkins quote?

Risa: What quote? I seriously saw them fall off Naughty Cliff. You know, the cliff that the Pevensies got to in Prince Caspian.

Me: … … …

Risa: It's a real place.

Me: This _is_ just a fanfiction.

Risa: …Soooooo?

Me: Uh-huh, well on to the chapter.

Risa: The chapter that changed our entire story to a T rating. Nice going Jade.

Me: Jaden. And I'm sorry if my being captured and—you almost got me to spoil the chapter.

Risa: **shifts eyes** Nuh-uh!

Me: Let's just get this over with:

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**Frozen Feet, INTEROGATION, and Sickly Sarcastic Thoughts**

Trust me when I say, I am not a person prone to panic attacks. But realistically, you try being surrounded by giant (and I really mean GIANT) wolves and led to a dark and dangerous location that you can't tell anyone about. There were no jokes, there was no laughing the situation off.

And poor Tumnus… they finally let him up to walk, but all he could do was hobble, so they continued to drag him through the snow by his legs. At the moment, he was passed out probably from the cold. Can magical creatures get hypothermia in Narnia?

My feet were numb as we trudged through the snow. It had changed from a wet mess to a powder as we got closer and closer to the witch's castle. My once wet slippers had frozen over and made my toes numb. My prom dress was ruined, the thin lace cover over the noodle straps wasn't doing anything to protect from the cold. At the moment, I admit I was pretty miserable.

And the twitching. Not too long after my eye first had a twitching fit, it had another. We had just passed a set of hills when it did and I heard the wolves say we were close. What on earth was Risa doing?

It was around the middle of the day when we got there and let me tell you, her castle looks just as intimidating and, I hate to say it, awesome in the day as in the night. The sun made the ice walls gleam and the towers stood boldly into the sky.

My mouth dropped in awe, but that moment was quickly dissipated when a wolf pushed me forward and I remembered just exactly who was in there waiting. Oh CRAP!

We entered the same way Edmund would (how on earth I was able to remember Edmund's adventure-) through the courtyard of statues. You know those holocaust videos where you see the pain and sorrow they went through but can't really relate or understand their experience? It felt like that. At first glance, they were just statues. You slowly begin to understand that these were once living creatures, but you still can't truly understand.

There was a dwarf and a lion and a giant (Rumblebuffin) and centaurs and fauns and… she had quite the collection. From the biggest man to the smallest squirrel. It was disgusting.

"This is terrible," a whisper slipped out as we passed the statues and toward the stairs.

Maugrim chuckled. "Get used to it," he growled. Ugh! He was so mean! Just his voice made you want to hit and kick him!

The wolves stopped as we approached the icy blue stairway. "Wake him up," Maugrim ordered, pointing his nose at Tumnus. I glared, but knelt down and started lightly slapping his face.

"Tumnus… Mr. Tumnus you have to wake up."

The faun groaned and his eyes opened slowly. Quickly they shot open widely and he frantically looked around.

"Where are we?"

"_Her_ castle," I answered grimly.

"Oh, Miss Jaden I had no intention of you—"

"It's ok. How bad can it be?" I asked, trying to lighten up the mood. Yeah… it didn't work.

"Get moving faun!" barked one of the wolves and Tumnus and I were pushed up toward the stairs. His poor legs kept giving out, so eventually he just leaned on me like a crutch and we made it up the stairs and to a pair of tall, cruel doors. Maugrim tapped on the door with his paw and the door swung open revealing a Cyclops.

"Captain Maugrim here delivering two of her majesty's enemies."

"Let them in," a women's voice called. Her voice was high and hard and immediately I wished for anything but to go in there. The wolves didn't agree with my unspoken sentiments and pushed me and Tumnus inside.

Her throne room was pretty cool. Too blue and shiny for my taste. Her throne was tall and covered in white and gray pelts and furs. She sat on the throne, her wand in hand.

"The faun Tumnus correct?" she asked as we were brought before her.

"Yes," he answered with no attempt to hide his disgust.

She smirked and turned her eyes to me with a look of confusion. "And who are you?" she asked, reminding me of the caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland.

"Jaden Greene."

"Why are _you_ here? I don't recall ever seeing you before." Ok, you know that crap feeling I was having problems with before. The scared out of my wits feelings? For some reason, when looking at her, I really didn't care anymore. Like, I was scared, but not _that_ scared.

"You probably haven't seen many people before cooped up in this place," I answered looking around. One of the wolves snapped its jaws at me. I guess insulting a "queen" wasn't seen as proper in these parts.

"You have wit," she mused.

"More than you," I replied.

That didn't go too well. She stood up, still calm and collected, but her face twisted into something so horrible, I had no idea what was going on in her head.

"A daughter of Eve, but not one the little Son of Adam described to me. He said his sisters had black and golden hair, all I see is a chubby girl with mud for hair."

That was an insult? Ooh… "And I was expecting a tall powerful enchantress. Not a lanky tramp who looks like she needs more sun than a Cullen." For the reader's information: I'm not perfect. At that moment I let my anger get the best of me and I really wasn't feeling the whole 'love your enemies' deal. Sorry God.

She slapped me. Hard. I mean, the dang slap put me on the ground and I felt tears well up. Looking back up at her, she was glaring at me. Oh, if looks could kill then I would need my casket.

"Take them to the dungeon for interrogation."

Oh crap. She said the 'I' word. Interrogation. I-n-t-e-r-r-o-g-a-t-i-o-n. Interrogation. That always meant something bad was going to happen to the prisoner. Torture… rape… lame horror movies from the 50's… you name it. Anything to get information.

So with a dark, painful future ahead of me and a few moments of glory behind, Tumnus and I were led down to the dungeons. I couldn't help but laugh to myself thinking that she had no clue what a Cullen was.

We were put in separate cells seeing as there was only two cells in the place. Odd, you would figure a power-hungry tyrant would have a huge dungeon. She only had two cells. Well I guess when you think about it, stuffing numbers of creatures in only two cells is torture in itself until they got turned to stone. Hmm…

We weren't given anything to eat or drink, but I guess if we were _that_ thirsty then we could just lick the wall. I won't bore you with the freezing, depressing details, but I got SO bored. I was chained up with nowhere to go and Tumnus wasn't in the chatty mood. SOMEONE GET ME OUT OF HERE!

Thank God, after a few hours of nothing but me throwing a chunk of ice at the wall and having it slide back at me… the sound of a large key being twisted in the iron lock echoed off the reflective walls. The large door slowly opened revealing the witch. Dun Dun DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNN!

Oh, great… she does her interrogation personally. This shall be… HOLY CRAP!

Out of nowhere a whip sliced at my leg. She didn't say anything! She just walked in and started lashing that piece of sharp leather around. Another lash at my feet.

"Where are you from? The far west? The southern countries?" she demanded.

"Why would I tell you stuff?" I asked back, motioning to the whip in her hand. She lost any cooperation she hoping to get from me by using that dumb thing. Another crack of the whip.

"I will not ask again. Where are you from?"

"P-please your majesty—" Mr. Tumnus started to plead, but she cut him off.

"Silence, faun!" At the command of a finger-snap, the ogre guard with her rolled me over to my belly, exposing my back. "I shall have to force it from you."

Have you ever been whipped? OH. MY. GOSH! It is probably one of the most painful things to bear. They make look so easy on TV. It actually _hurts_, like make you want to die hurts, in real life.

You can't call me a wimp for crying. Every strike caused different cuts down my back. But I didn't talk. I yelped, I sobbed, I screamed… but I didn't talk. Sounds brave, huh? Well when you are trying not to gag on your own snot because you're crying so hard and yelling and screaming every other second… there really isn't much time to talk.

She finally stopped after what seemed like forever. Yeah… I know authors and writers use that line a lot. It's almost a cliché, but it seriously felt like a long time and 'forever' is the only way to explain it. I kind of wasn't in the mind set at the time to actually _know_ the time.

She didn't say anything to me. She just left, her ogre guard groveling behind her. The door slammed shut, and I looked up at the wall ahead of me, too scared to sit up or even move. Everything stung! Her whip went wild, attacking not only my back but my arms, legs, and neck as well. I could just visualize my dress in tatters, soaking up the surprisingly little amount of blood there was. And I fell asleep (coughpassedoutcough).


	5. Chapter 5

So, I was going to put this up without telling Jade as a surprise, but I couldn't resist showing it to her because I know she'd be so excited. For those who might still be reading this (or not), this huge, multi-annual delay thing is totally my fault. I could throw out excuses and such but I'm not going to because that will feel really weird. (That's for the _next_ chapter.) Anyway, I tried to make this as long as possible (with out short the chapters in the book are) to make up for it. And detailed. And stuff?

Also, I've gone/am going through the chapters fixing the stupid little grammar/spelling mistakes I made so it's far more readable.

Also, I want to warn you much of this chapter is rather serious. It gets lighter near the end, but I (Risa) am not in tip top shape, if I do say so myself. A lot will be explained later, but I hope you don't mind a distinct lack of really comedy in this small portion of the story. There are snatches of it, but not enough, really.

And again, I am so sorry. Everything is going to be updated far more regularly (probably weekly or bi-weekly) because me and Jade see each other a lot more and then are going to see each other even _more. _I dunno how much we want the internet to know, though, so, yeah! But she's going to be able to threaten me much more easily!

So here's the chapter!

* * *

**Walking in the Cold, Parents of Holidays, Wolves with Headaches, and Guilt Relieved**

I thought I was going to skin Mrs. Beaver alive. I mean it. I appreciate food and all, probably more than most people, but I wanted to get some answers from Aslan. And, you know, see him again. Probably cry. Or something. Whatever works at the time. Probably both, like, at the same time.

Both Susan and I were arguing that we should get going but Beaver, who agreed with us, wouldn't go against his wife. Even Lucy got in on it.

"Please, Mrs. Beaver, we have to _go_." If I hadn't been so worried, and if I hadn't actually _liked _Beaver, then I would have actually tried to sound as if I had any authority. Becoming the Warrior Maidens of Narnia hadn't exactly been really official or anything, but Beaver seemed to think the position was something more.

"Dearie, we have a Warrior Maiden with us, and we have a quarter of an hour lead."

I can't believe I've been used against my own argument. If I hadn't been angry, I would have laughed. As it was now, I just sat wearily. "She has a sleigh, remember? Even _I_ can't beat a bunch of running reindeer. And a sleigh."

"Was that humor?" Peter asked, blinking at me.

"No!" I quickly said, then sighed. If Jade had been with me, I would have agreed readily. But I was still mad...wasn't I?

"Warrior Risa, could you please hold this pack? It is yours to carry." Mrs. Beaver started to hand out packages for all of us. It seems as if I got the heaviest, being the oldest except for the Beavers themselves, and Lucy got the smallest with a "There's six loads and the smallest for the smallest of, us, thats you my dear."

Finally, she allowed Mr. Beaver to help her into her...boots?

Narnia. Only in Narnia.

And then she started fretting on and on about her sewing machine while the children begged her to hurry and I struggled to remember she was a valued ally of Narnia. Yet after much logic, we finally convinced her that, yes, it was too heavy and that the Witch would probably not bother with it much as she had too many evil thoughts about the future kings and queens of Narnia to worry about it. Dear Lord, she was worse than my mother!

Since I really didn't know the way, as the map of Narnia that had gotten situated in my head after our return from the Dawn Treader was a bit mixed up in all of the emotion and hastiness, I did let Mr. Beaver take point and let Peter follow directly after Lucy who was following the Beaver. There was a part of me that could feel for him as I was also an eldest sibling and felt inclined to protect them. We, the oldest, fail often and we feel guilty about failing our beloved younger brothers and/or sisters. We really do, it's just we don't allow ourselves to show it often.

It was an amazing night, even I'll admit that I noticed it in my waning anger. Moonlit nights were one of the reasons I put up with the cold of winter. Everything looked glossed in silver and wrought with glass or diamonds or both. For a long time, I hardly felt the cold for the view of the moon and the stars and the snow. Narnia. That's the only real word for it. A frozen Narnia, waiting to unleash spring in all it's glory.

Then winter came through my skin and I shivered, adjusting my pack often as we followed the too-slow footsteps of Mr. Beaver. That's when I noticed Lucy was starting to stumble like one does when one is woken up at four in the morning when they fell asleep at 3:30. Looking around, I noticed the two other children were starting to look just as haggard and I suddenly re-remembered that they were _children_. Going all night like this was quite impossible. I was used to staying up for all hours of the night and getting little sleep but these future monarchs were not.

I slowed to walk beside Susan and silently took her pack from her. When she started to protest, I shook my head and took out some of the things she was carrying and gave the slightly lighter pack to her. Even though it wasn't much, when one is tired the smallest bit helps. I then tried to do the same to Peter, but he shook his head and I moved to Lucy, who didn't argue when I started carrying her pack. If I knew I wouldn't be able to because, if I was honest with myself, I had almost no energy, I would have carried _her_. Most of my anger had left me, at least that hot kind that makes you want to scream and shout and hit things, and the aftermath was just feeling almost nothing because being happy would be too much with one of my best friends locked up by an evil queen. It also wasn't numbness, for the same reason. It was just...weak, I guess. Very weak. Not really in body, as I was carrying so much and didn't really care about it, but in heart. I was not used to being weak at heart, and—in hindsight—it disturbs me.

The shivers steadily became more violent as the snow melted and clung to my clothes. Strangely enough, it was my feet that stayed warm. Despite allowing my best friend to be captured by a witch, Aslan could make very good shoes.

We followed Mr. Beaver for a long time. The path got rough several times and it took real work to get through it. It was odd, being along a frozen river and being towered over by the sides of the valley. I blinked away the weariness from my eyes when I realized how tired the children were. When the snow started falling again, I started to worry. When you were tired, the cold could either wake you up or encourage the feeling.

The next thing we knew, Mr. Beaver was disappearing into a hole. Lucy nearly collapsed to the ground to crawl in after him. I stood up, needlessly looking around. There would be no one around but the air felt heavy despite the slowly falling snow. The three kids were barely conscious and only the Beavers seemed to have any real optimism.

The thought hit me particularly hard. I'd been an optimist for as long as I could remember and that I wasn't joining in their joy at seeing the Lion was troubling, even as I felt it. At no time in my life had I felt anything other than _wanting_ when thinking of Aslan, of that innate need to be whole in the way only God can give.

For a brief moment, I wondered what was wrong with me until the rest of them were inside and I crawled after them. Mrs. Beaver was just finishing up a statement about pillows when I made myself as comfortable as I could, grateful that I was so fond of tent-camping as we slowly fell asleep.

It was the next morning, woken by a stiffness in all of my limbs (I was quite a bit taller than the rest of the group and so wasn't nearly as comfortable). The smooth breathing of the children and the Beavers told me exactly how asleep they were. I was about to slowly sit up but decided against it when I felt a tightness on my coat.

Everything that had been roiling within me softened when I saw Peter's hand grasping at the coat. High King Peter the Magnificent was probably frightened and it was difficult to hide that in one's sleep. I had not met the future Peter as I had Lucy and Edmund and so could claim no connection to what he would be (except in the purely fangirl sense) but I started to really like him just then. He was around the age of my two youngest siblings so any oddness I felt when I reached out to smooth his hair was gone when I threw either of them in his shoes.

It wasn't that much later that the distant sound of bells woke Mr. Beaver. I took my hand away just before Peter woke up. He blushed and swallowed when he realized exactly what he'd been doing in his sleep as boys who must pretend to be men must do. I resisted winking at him and tactfully pretended that it never happened.

Lucy was the last to wake, just as Mr. Beaver scurried out of the small den.

"We may need you, Warrior Maiden." Mrs. Beaver whispered, her forepaws twitching. I only nodded, crouching like I was ready to spring out of the den at a moment's notice. (Foreknowledge kinda takes the shock factor out of something, to be honest, but I was pretty good at acting when I wasn't hyped up on...anything...).

The voices caused everyone to tense, including me who knew it wasn't _her._

And when Beaver stated so, shouting at us from the clear air, and we all crawled out. The sun was too-bright with the snow settled on the ground.

"Come on! Come and see! This is a nasty knock for the Witch! It looks as if her power is already crumbling." We scrambled up the deep walls of the valley.

"What do you mean, Mr. Beaver?" Peter was out of breath, just behind me.

I had an advantage being significantly taller than all of them and reached the top a moment before the rest did. It had planned to reach down and help them but even I was stopped short by the sight of Father Christmas.

"Didn't I tell you that she'd made it always winter and never Christmas? Didn't I tell you? Well, just come and see!"

The children and Mrs. Beaver were right behind me and just as still as I.

Though I'd gone on a journey through magic before, seen a _dragon_ for goodness sake, to see a childhood memory come springing to life in a way I'd never thought was a shock to say the least. He was almost like a soldier who'd found out how to have the joy of a child again, if you get my meaning. It was his to go throughout worlds like Narnia and _give._ To protect that joy that one gets when giving or being given. And it spread so far as to worlds without magic like ours, even though we twist it so.

"I've come at last. She has kept me out for a long time, but I have got in at last. Aslan is on the move. The Witch's magic is weakening."

At both mention of the Witch and Aslan I felt exactly what I wasn't supposed to. There was supposed to be a certain quiet joy at hearing that Aslan is defeating the Witch simply by _being_ but I felt rather hollow. Like a large bell that has been touched by the wind and wishes to ring but can't quite move yet because of heaviness.

The oddness of it was enough to distract me as he started giving gifts. It wasn't until Lucy was stating she was brave enough to fight despite the fact Father Christmas meant for neither of the girls to fight in battle.

"That is not the point, but battles are ugly when women fight."

Then he turned to me, which was the last thing I expected. Jade and I were just observers, commentators, on the stories of Narnia. We weren't really _supposed_ to get that involved. Much of our time was elbowing each other into not giving away what was going to happen next.

"Clarissa, Eve's Daughter," I stepped forward, a bit dazed by his solemn gaze, "This quarterstaff is for you to use to protect those of Narnia and whom Narnia would have you protect."

"Aren't battles ugly when women fight?" I said softly, taking the staff that I had twirled so easily on the _Dawn Treader_. It was cleaner, without scratches I hadn't noticed that had been there until I saw the original product. If anything, it was more beautiful than when I first saw it, back in Narnia's future (how awkward is time travel? No wonder the Doctor seems a bit insane at times). I noticed the silver I'd assumed it had been was really a mix between white and silver, gleaming dully enough to not blind me in the sun. The red inlays were of the same sort of metal, bright and yet not quite catching the sun like metal would. In my mind's eye, I remembered it being more faded.

But of course, that was the moment that I remembered my first adventure was a few thousand years in the future.

He leaned in close, something akin to sympathy in his eyes, his voice low, "You and Jaden are to see the ugliness of the world and fight it." Father Christmas held out his hand, holding something else. It brought tears to my eyes when I saw the whip that she had wielded in our first adventure.

And then, of course, I realized what he'd said. She was to fight with me. She was going to be alright. We would be side by side again, cracking jokes and (probably) heads. I had to believe this was from Aslan: only the Lion could know something like that.

The tall man stood quickly, very suddenly far less grim and he pulled out a tray of what smelled like tea.

He was off with a "Merry Christmas! Long live the true King!"

Which reminded me exactly how long Aslan was going to live.

Well, there went my good mood.

Not only had I lost complete faith in the being I'd promised to always trust (to his face) but I had been angry enough to ignore the faithful, stay completely angry, then hopeless; with the knowledge he was going to _die_ to save Edmund (who was/would become a close friend).

I am an awful human being.

Despite the guilt that was ripping at my insides, even I couldn't help but have a good time as we went down the bank and back into the den, where we had a tea party.

I found I liked tea and hated the aftertaste. I couldn't tell if there was more tea or sugar in my cup and wondered if I would be forced to get used to the aftertaste or if I could get away with drinking apple juice or something. Also, I like honey. A lot.

"Risa, it still hasn't been clear what a Warrior Maiden is." Susan was smiling as she said it though.

I thought, tapping the rim of my cup as I tried to think. "To be completely honest, my mission isn't exactly...clear..." I couldn't tell her that it was a joke I came up with to placate Captain Drinian and Caspian and her two younger siblings. Not to mention the Mouse that taught me swordplay forever ago.

"The Warrior Maidens are protectors of Narnia." Mr. Beaver looked surprised at my ignorance. "They are loyal to Aslan above all and will not tolerate the mistreatment of his subjects. They are fierce warriors, elegant women, and-"

I started laughing, starting with a snort, before clapping my hand over my mouth. Everyone looked at me strangely, though Lucy seemed to be holding in laughter. "Sorry, sorry. I just—elegant? I am best at tripping over seemingly _nothing_. I am the least elegant person I know. Ever."

"_You're American_." Peter suddenly pointed out with shock.

Oops.

I hope I've mentioned that everything I'd spoken until now was in a fairly British accent. I also hadn't spoken much since the Beaver's house, but it had been in an accent. Apparently my snort had shoved me out of it.

"A bit, yes." It took effort to not say it in an accent again, simply because that sentence sounds better with an accent.

"But you-"

"I like accents." I shrugged, wondering if my attempt to casually sip the tea was successful.

Lucy giggled and Susan joined in after a moment.

"It isn't _that_ funny," I felt heat spread to my cheeks and was glad that the cup hid it a bit.

"It is when it's coming from _you_." Lucy insisted, smiling warmly.

My head tipped to the side, "Really?"

"You _are_ very serious." Peter agreed before taking a bite of his sandwich.

I blinked, thinking on how they'd come to that conclusion. It wasn't very hard to imagine, once I thought of how little I'd done since I'd found out Jade had been taken with Tumnus.

"Believe it or not, how I've been acting is pretty much the opposite of how I normally am. Jaden was...she's like my sister and that she's with the Witch..."

Of course I was the one that changed the mood. After a few awkward minutes as we thought on what we would have to do, Mr. Beaver cleared his throat, "Time to be moving on now."

We got up slowly, none of us wanting to really leave the safety and comfort of a den that smelled of honey and tea. But Aslan was up ahead and we couldn't _not_ go. We gathered our things, each of us taking our gifts with this natural infinity that couldn't be anything but magic. I slung Jaden's gift over my shoulder and used the bo staff—quarterstaff—as a walking stick.

There was still a chill in the air when we left, though the snow was turning to slush as we walked on, messing up our shoes and the bottom of my dress was absolutely wrecked. But the spring was wonderful as it started to eat away at the snow and ice and cold. Slowly but surely, the cold melted into warmth and we abandoned our coats (hung on trees as if we'd remember to get them later). The way the green was both suddenly and naturally seeping into the world astounded me. After a while, it was like the leaves had been there the entire time and the world smelled of _alive_. The others pointed out flowers I couldn't name because I'd never learned their names properly.

After what I assumed was about two hours, noticing the weariness that was beginning to settle in I casually mentioned that the Witch could no longer use her sled. Despite my wanting to go quickly, I rested when the others rested and walked at their pace. Every once in a while I would go on ahead, my hands brushing against the trees or lightly clasping leaves between my fingers just to feel them. These were my first Narnian leaves, my first taste of a Narnian spring. There was no need for me to look ahead, if only to feel like Gandalf for a moment even though we would come to no trouble.

And then even I was sore, my feet hurting (though I didn't have a blister like poor Susan) and back hurting. I had never taken any walking trips, not really, so my body was very irritated with this crazy idea of walking a seriously long distance.

The sun was getting nearer and nearer to the horizon. To be honest, I didn't really remember this part. Jack kind of went through this part of the journey rather quickly (comparatively to his friend Tolkien, who loved the walking bits). The fact it had taken _all freaking day_, I had forgotten.

When Mr. Beaver said, "Not long now," I nearly cheered. He led us uphill (oh, my aching legs!) on some moss that, I noted and filed away, seemed like it would be fun to roll down if one could navigate the old trees.

Trees that were old enough that not one of us could have questioned if they were on _her_ side, not that we actually were. I just appreciated their age, even as I came to loathe the very idea of upward slants.

When we got to the top, I decided it was worth it though.

If you hadn't thought so before, think this now: Narnia is gorgeous. You know those sweeping shots of New Zealand that they used in the movies that made us all wish even harder that our closets would open up into this land of Talking Animals? Well, even the wonderful, breathtaking landscape of those islands could not compare to looking at Narnia.

The sea glinted to the East and the trees lay before us like a sea of their own. The pavilion that sat before us was like sunlight caught in fabric and the banner proudly bearing itself in the wind was a stark contrast against the green and yellow.

The Stone Table though, struck me with dread. It was old, so old. The language would have interested me some if it had not been carved on that dour slab of stone.

But the music distracted me from my worry and we all turned to the right.

Aslan. I knew there were other, absolutely remarkable, Narnians surrounding him, but all I saw was him.

It was quite different from when I had met him during the _Dawn Treader's_ voyage. He wasn't there like he'd been then. Here he was All King. Even if my guilt hadn't kept the desire from me, there was no way I could run up and give him any sort of hug or squeal or act the child like I had imagined this moment being.

Instead I stood behind the Pevensies, holding my quarterstaff with white knuckles. _You are not supposed to be here. You are an observer._ _You are a protector._

Okay, I admit I was terrified. Of course Aslan would know I had been incredibly _angry_ with him. How does someone even work with being angry at _him_? How did I have the _nerve_? He was the King of the Wood. He was _Aslan_.

Which was why I found it totally understandable when the children could hardly even look at him, becoming full of nerves. I normally would have found their conversation amusing but now I just found it faultless.

"Go on," Mr. Beaver whispered to Peter.

"No, you first." Peter whispered back.

"No, Sons of Adams before animals." I smiled at this, at the conviction he managed to put into his fearfully whispered words.

"Susan, what about you? Ladies first?"

"No, you're the eldest."

"That's Risa," Peter looked to me, "Risa?"

I shook my head, "I am not meant to go before the future monarchs, but I am with you."

They whispered for a few more minutes, while Aslan waited patiently. I admit to staring at him rather creepily, trying to push down my dread for the Pevensie's sake. Despite the fact they hadn't been given it in the book, I wanted them to have something solid to start with and if that had to be me. Even if I wasn't very solid at all, not in feeling and not in reality.

When Peter finally drew his sword, saying, "Come on. Pull yourselves together," I felt myself jolt to action. Oh. That's where his High Kingdom will come from. Well.

He raised his sword in salute as he walked toward the Lion. The Beavers wouldn't let me remain behind them, so I had to walk beside them, behind the prophesied king and queens. I was suddenly very aware that my hair was very uncombed, my dress very muddy and ripped (when did that happen?) in some places and my face felt droopy due to my need to fall somewhere and sleep.

"Welcome, Peter, Son of Adam. Welcome, Susan, Lucy, and Clarissa, Daughters of Eve. Welcome He-Beaver and She-Beaver."

His voice was beautiful and calmed the others down. Any jitters I had settled down but the richness of his voice made me feel worse for my anger against him.

"But where is the fourth?" Aslan asked.

"He has tried to betray them and joined the White Witch, O Aslan," Mr. Beaver tried his best to sound courtly which was a little bit adorable.

"That was partly my fault, Aslan. I was angry with him and I think that helped him to go wrong." He sounded so genuinely remorseful and the look Aslan gave him was so _Aslan_ it was a moment that can't really described with significant words—which was one of the many reasons no one said anything else at the matter.

Instead Lucy started to plead, "Please—Aslan, can anything be done to save Edmund?"

I think it had to be Lucy. The one who would have more faith than probably anyone in Narnia had to be the one to ask for their brother back.

"All shall be done. But it may be harder than you think."

He looked sad for a moment, looking at us but not quite looking at us. The emotion was erased in a second though, but not before it shifted to me. _Don'tthinkaboutitdon' .He' 'llcomeback._

He shook his mane as if it shook out any other thoughts and clapped his forepaws together (it was only strange to me, as I was so close to being an adult and knew that in our world lions didn't do the whole clapping thing), " Meanwhile, let the feast be prepared. Ladies, take these Daughters of Eve to the pavilion and minister to them."

I was surprised when I was also ushered away by the Naiads and Dryads along with the two future queens. As they started talking with their musical voices, asking which color dresses we preferred, I looked back several times to see Peter being led away by Aslan.

"Did you hear that, Risa? We're going to get new clothes!" Lucy was still more solemn than what I'd expect from a young girl her age, but there was a great deal of glee in her voice.

"We have prepared multiple dresses at Aslan's instruction." One of the Naiads said, smiling at the young princess. It's probably right to call both Susan and Lucy princess, isn't it?

And that brings me to my next though. Dresses. I wasn't as anti-dress as I had been on the _Dawn Treader_ but I still wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of fighting in a dress, which seemed what my assignment seemed to be here.

"Would you like a similar dress to the one you are wearing now, Clarissa?" A Dryad asked tentatively, voice like the wind in the leaves and bark and ever so beautiful.

I smiled, trying to ease her nerves. I wasn't one of the Four they'd been waiting on, of course I would make them nervous. And if all they had been told was that I was a Warrior Maiden...well, I'm not sure how I felt about that.

"Something more...more lively would be wonderful, don't you think? Green and yellow, maybe some silver or something. Frankly, I'll be happy with whatever I'm given. I'm not picky."

The Dryad smiled shyly, nodding before one of her sisters distracted her with a comment on the beauty of their future queens.

I touched the whip around my shoulder lightly, looking back to where we'd just left Aslan, but they had already gone to another part of the hill.

Of course it was then that the wolves attacked. There were only two of them, but they were going right after the princesses. The Naiads and Dryads took gasps and started running, urging us to do the same. Shaking, I clutched at my quarterstaff and felt my skin try and work themselves into the inlays. I watched as Susan and Lucy ran toward their brother once more. Both wolves growled at their heels until I bashed one of them on the head with as much strength I could muster. It stumbled into some bushes but the other cut Lucy and I off from Susan, who ran toward the nearest tree, fumbling with her horn.

The sound was beautiful, by the way, despite the terror.

"Run, Lucy!" I called, though she didn't really need any direction.

I wanted to run after Susan, and started to (faltering in my steps) but I heard Aslan call out and I remembered that was exactly what I wasn't supposed to do just that. It was Peter who was supposed to save the day and as I stood there, watching Lucy run toward her brother.

He cut at the wolf snapping at poor Susan, slashing its side. The next thing we knew, it was howling at Peter and leaping at him.

For a moment I thought that my being there had changed fate because the wolf was on top of him, jerking with its head by his head and teeth still bared in a growl. Lucy screamed her brother's name and I felt everything within me drop. And then he was free, slumping a bit before he straightened his back.

Susan came down from the tree and they were instantly in each other's arms.

"Quick! Quick! Centaurs! Eagles! I see another wolf in the thickets. There—behind you. He has just darted away. After him, all of you. He will be going to his mistress. Now is your chance to find the Witch and rescue the fourth Son of Adam and second Warrior Maiden!"

There was a small hand pulling me toward Peter and Susan, where Aslan was speaking to a flustered, panting Peter, and I saw Lucy looking at me, pale and with wide eyes as the loyal army of Narnia obeyed Aslan instantaneously. I saw walking in front of us, his huge strides making more ground than us. I followed Lucy's lead, wondering if I should—

Jade!

I started to look to where the thunder of hooves and wings had gone, muscles tense as I contemplated running after them and beating those loyal to the Witch senseless.

"Peace, Warrior Maiden." Aslan's voice was soft, rumbling across the air. Lucy ripped herself out of my hand as I froze, running straight into her eldest brother and sobbing into him while worked up the nerves to soother her. I noticed as he turned to block her view of wolf. "Sir Peter," Peter jerked his head at this, face reddening, "take your sisters to the pavilion. You will find rest there as the feast is prepared. Your brother will be waiting for you when you wake."

I was very ready to go with them and try and be big-sisterly to them but Aslan had not mentioned me and was staring me in place as the three children made their way up to the camp.

"Clarissa, you have not been yourself," he rumbled, and I wondered if I could get the courage to tear my gaze from his or if I had the courage not to.

"Aslan I-" the tears starting to blur my eyes didn't give me much of a choice. I could hardly see anything at that point, my throat was working very hard on becoming thick and unusable. Most of me was hoping he would say something and everything would be okay again. It would be like I hadn't been a moron and forgot exactly who Aslan was and had gotten irrationally angry at him. We could pretend that it didn't happen, because Aslan would forgive me.

"I didn't..." I took a breathe. "I was so afraid, Aslan. Jade was with her and God only knows what that means. While I was skipping off, playing in the snow with the Pevensies, where was she? What was being done to her? And then _how dare_ that Witch lay a hand on my best friend—one whom I call my sister. If I'd known the way I would have stormed her castle myself. And then all I could think was that you-" I choked on my words, leaning on my staff heavily from the heaviness of everything that had happened. "that you let her be taken. Somehow that turned to blame and that's just dumb because you're _you._ And I _promised_ I would trust you with everything and the first time something goes wrong I _blame _you for it. I'm so sorry, Aslan. I was foolish a-and unfaithful and I can never make it up and-"

I finally couldn't speak anymore, all of my weight focused on the quarterstaff. It started to sink into the soft, spring ground to support me and I stared at it to find semblance of control. When I looked back up at Aslan was giving the same look he'd given Peter when he had confessed his part in Edmund's betrayal—neither accusing nor pardoning me. Forcing myself to take a deep breath I spoke a few more shaky words, "S-she'll be alright, won't she, Aslan?"

Everything about him softened and I was reminded that this King had turned into a Lamb the last time I'd seen him. He looked very sad, which was startling, considering the conversation and the question I'd just asked. "Jaden has gone through vile things, to prepare you both for what you may face in the future."

I gaped like a fish starving for water for a moment, "She shouldn't have to bear that for herself, much less _me too_." Aslan was closer to me now, enough that his breath was making me strong enough to find words. _Why couldn't it have been me instead?_

"If it had been you, would Jaden not be here, begging that she would have been in your place as well?"

And of course he knows exactly what I'm thinking, or at least feeling. Mostly likely both.

"She was all alone, Aslan!"

"She was never alone. Mr. Tumnus was there with her, and the young prince has been with her for much of the time. And was it not promised she would never be forsaken?"

The wording sent a bolt of shock through me and my eyes shot wide open. He seemed almost amused at my reaction. "I still don't...don't understand why." To my utter amazement I managed not to sound like a petulant child, the desperate edge to my voice taking that away.

"Even if I were to explain it to you in full, you would not, child. The time will come when you will understand." Aslan sounded as if the conversation was done, looking to the hill where there was a feast being prepared. It was not particularly loud, but there was definitely a joyful air to the music that was being played (string and violins and clapping and laughter in the voices that were raised as the sun was creeping toward the horizon) and I was suddenly hungry.

"When?" I managed to squeak, sniffing

Aslan chuckled softly, "When it is time."

I sighed, wiping at my eyes with the back of my hand and sniffing loudly in some effort to gain control of myself. When I failed at first, Aslan let out a great sigh and the warmth of his breath cascaded through me.

"Now go."

I nodded and followed as the Lion walked up the hill, much to the joy of everyone who was handing out bowls of fruit and the smell of cooking meat for the meat eaters (some of the animals stayed far away from those spits of fire,

"Risa!"

I turned to see Lucy waving by the pavilion. I smiled and started to leave Aslan, turning to give him a short bow before running to the pavilion, nearly tripping over my dress. She held the tent open for me to get in to see Susan dressed in a light purple dress, dark blue embroidery of branches and flowers curling all over the bodice and trailing down to the skirt of the dress like vines, thinning out as they went down. Her dark hair was being braided by a willowy Dryad, a complicated weaving of hair I couldn't follow.

Lucy was wearing a simpler dark blue dress, part of the front opening to reveal a triangle of lighter blue cloth layered underneath where there was embroidery similar to that of Susan's dress decorating the cloth in a pale green. Her hair looked like gold as it fell over the dark color, shining in the light of the fire just outside the open flap and the torches that lit up the pavilion.

The next thing I knew, I was ushered to sit on one of a few chairs as another of the Dryads picked up a comb.

If you have thick hair, you will feel my pain when you remember I haven't brushed/combed/thought about my hair in the past couple of days. I'd been in a faun's house, tramping in snow, more walking in snow, slept in a tiny den, been chased by a wolf (that I hit on the head) and cried a bit. Did you know that trees snag on gnarled hair, even in Narnia? That, combined with the fact I've murdered more hair ties than I have bugs because that third loop around my hair is _impossible_, I knew there were about to be a few unpleasant minutes/hours. And that was _after_ the torture it was subjected to when I thought I was going to prom and not Narnia.

Luckily, though, the Dryad put down the comb the second she saw my hair. A Naiaid came over and laughed, the sound bright and wonderful. "Is it wise to ask how your hair is much worse than our Princess's?"

"I have a knack for messing up my hair," I said sheepishly, only hesitating for a second when one of the Dryads took my staff from me to lean it against one of the cloth walls. "Sorry. If it's too hopeless, I don't mind it being sheared off."

Susan looked honestly distressed at the notion, "Oh, don't you _dare_ Clarissa."

I blinked at her in surprise but she seemed adamant. "Of course, my lady." Susan flushed, looking at the floor. Lucy giggled, twirling in her dress.

It wasn't long until there was a warm bucket of water and I was asked to lean on a pile of cushions while my hair was washed. I admit to being a little bit irritated, mostly because someone else washing my hair _freaks me out_. It was bad the one time I let it happen at the hairdresser, with water running all down my neck and stuff. Yeah, it felt good because, _head massage_, but it was still really weird. My irritation fled, though, when they finished in less than a minute. Apparently the Naiad had some control over the water because it took seconds for my head to dry.

"Now, you said you'd like a green gown, did you not, Miss Clarissa?"

I nodded, then drew in a quick breath at the dress that was pulled out for me. It was fairly simple, which I appreciated, and the color of the new green of spring and the dark of an old, forgotten forest all rolled into one. It was shorter than the other girls', stopping at what looked like would be mid-calf, which I appreciated because moving in the dress I was presently wearing was hard enough. There was also a yellow sash being pulled from a chest, along with a silvery loop of...something. And then, to my utter glee, a pair of short leggings meant to be worn under the dress.

It wasn't until Lucy and Susan, who's hairdo had been completed while I was getting my hair cleaned, urged me to change that I did. Only my time in band had kept me from letting any insecurities get a hold of me, though most of those in the tent turned away when they saw the heat spread on my face.

I don't know what they make Narnian clothes out of, but I wished they had it in our world. The material gave enough warmth that the cool breeze of a new spring wouldn't bother me in the slightest, but neither would the inevitable warm days. And it didn't itch in the slightest.

I found out the loop was a sort of belt that would go over the sash (which I could not tie as easily as those wonderful Dryads after a hundred years of practicing).

"It's wonderful!" Susan clapped her hands and smiled as I looked down at myself.

"How does it fit so well?" I wondered, smoothing my hands over the bodice.

No one answered, probably because it didn't really matter. Except then I remembered it did because we had been told that Aslan had instructed them to prepare a few dresses, so Aslan had known our measurements?

I giggled at the thought of the Lion telling seamstresses the numbers they needed to create such beautiful gowns.

I was forced to sit again while my hair was combed and tied back in a rather simple braid and we were ushered out to see a feast in full swing.

I sat beside Lucy and Susan, the Beavers across from us, regaling the tale (with a few exaggerations that were corrected by the two young Princesses) of how we'd been found and taken here. I would glance at Aslan as much as I could, as if affirming he was there.

At some point, Peter (who was looking kind of awesome in the clothes he'd been given) mentioned that my accent was back and I only grinned, telling him I didn't know what in the _world_ he was talking about. He looked to Susan and Lucy for help. The latter giggled and Susan, while she hesitated at first, reaffirmed what I'd said. When the future High King asked the Beavers for help, he found they'd been so involved in telling his stories that he hadn't heard our conversation.

There were laughs all around, Peter joining in after looking disgruntled for a moment.

Someone called for a toast (the fifth one that evening) and I raised my cup, full of some sort of juice, _this one's for you Jade._

* * *

And that's how I end a chapter in both a touching and infuriatingly fluffy way, all the while knowing _exactly_ what's happening to my dear friend as she's in the Witch's castle.

Whoops.

Again, I'd like to apologize, because I'm a horrible person but I'll be better, I swear!


End file.
